Aerial torpedo



C. LE R. KLISE.

AERIAL'TORPEDO.

APPLICAHON FILED SEPT. 17. 1918.

1,343,831 Patented June 15, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

C. LE R. KLISE.

AERIAL TORPEDO- APPLICA'IIQN FILED SEPT-17,1918.

Patented June 15,1920.

2 SHtETS--SHEI 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT-OFFICE. j

CLAYTON LE ROY KLISE, or YANKTO1\T,SOUTH nA orA.

AERIAL ronrnno.

Specification of Letters Patent. I Patgnfefl J 11116 15, 192() Application filed September 17. 1918. Serial No. 254,474.

To all whom it mag concern:

Be it known that I, CLAYTON Ln BOY KLIsE, a citizen of the United States, resid: ing at Yankton, in the county of Yankton and State of South Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Aerial Torpedoes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in thefart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to aerial torpedoes,

and more particularly to means whereby a body carrying a relatively large charge of a highexplosive may be readily propelled and steered through the air, the charge of eXplo-.

j sive being ignited am predetermined time.

One of the main objects of the inventi'on'is to provide a torpedo and-steering and pro simple constructionand operation which is pelling means therefor of comparatively so made as to be readily propelled through the air at relatively high speed with but little power.

A further object is to-provide a torpedo the-body of which is so shaped as to provide a head for carryinga relatively large charge of high explosives, the propelling and steering mechanisms being so related as to obtain proper balance of the machine as a'whole.

A further object is to provide a torpedo comprising a rearwardly tapering body of the so-called torpedo shape, the various steering and propelling mechanisms being positioned within this body so as to be completely inclosed and protected thereby. A

' Further objects will appear from the detailed description. V

. In the drawings: V

Figure 1 is a top 'plan'view ofan aerial torpedo constructed in accordance with my is of torpedo shape, that is tosay the body tapers rearwardly uniformly from the head portion 1 thereof. andis of circular cross section. Thisbody is preferably formed of some frangible material of relatively great strength, such as thin steel which ishighly tempered so as to be readily broken up or shattered by the force of the explosion when the explosive charge carried -in head 1",

thereof is exploded. This body 1 .is. provided, at the tail end thereof, with the verti' .cal and horizontal rudders 2 and. 3, respectively, which operate in. the well known manner and are. connected by suitable connections to the steering and control mechanism designated generally by 4: which 13 adapted to be actuated bywireless or radiant energy. It'will be understood that this control mechanism 4 may be of any suitable orstandard construction and may be operably connected to the ruddersQand 3 in any suitable or preferred manner. 1 This mechanism and the connections between the rudders form no part of my invention'except in so far as they cooperate .With the means to be hereinafter described to accomplish the desired result. The body 1 is further pro vided, at the tail end thereof, with a depending" arouate skid 0 support the body in suchmanner as to permit ready movement thereof overthe groundsurfacef A sheet metal compressed air tank 8 ismounted in-body 1 adjacent the tail portion thereof,,this tank being provided with a, valve 9 which is normally closed by a valve cap9, and with apressure gage 10/ The tank 8 is connected'by an air supply pipe 11 to an air motor 12 of. suitable construction, a suitablevalve 13 being interposed in this pipe and provided with a stem 14 which projects through the top of body 1, this stem havinga hand wheel 15 on its By means of-this valve 13, supply of air to the motor from tank 8 may be 7 readily controlled; Thepropellershaft 16 upper end.

of the motor projects both rearwardly and forwardly thereof, and is provided'at its which cooperates with v supporting wheels 6 carried bybrackets 7- at the forward or head end of the body, to

rearward end with a bevel pinion 17 secured thereon and meshing with a bevel gear 18 secured on; the shaft 19 of a gyroscope 20.

Drive shaft 16, of the motor is provided, at its forward end, with a spur. pinion 20secured thereon meshing with a spur gear 22 secured onra'p'rop'eller shaft 23which is rotatably mounted adjacent its inner end to an upright 24 secured tothe body. This propeller shaft is rotatably supported through an elongated bearing tube or sleeve 2 5 extending centrally of an explosive container 26 which fitsvsnugly in the head portion 1 of the body and conformsin shape thereto. The shaft projects beyond the nose 1 of the body and is provided, at its forward end, with a propeller 27 of suitable type secured thereon. By opening valve 13 so as to sup ply air which is stored in the tank 8 under pressure to the motor 12, propeller 27 may be rotated at relatively high speed so as to propel the torpedo through the air, the torpedo being guided by means of the rudders 2 and 3 which are controlled by radiant enorgy in any suitable manner, gyroscope 2O acting to maintain the body on an even or level keel during its passage through the air. I

To facilitate passage of the body 1 through the air, I provide at each side thereof a laterally projecting plane 28 of any suitable or standard construction which is connected to a bracing post 29 projecting above the body by guy wires 30, and to the sides of the body by rearwardly extending guy wires 31. These planes are secured, at their inner ends, to the upper ends of uprights 32 projecting from a cross piece 33 which connects the upper ends of frames or brackets '7 carrying the ground wheels 6 and forms therewith and with the uprights 32, a rigid frame which is secured, by means of the uprights, to the body 1. this frame acting to maintain the body and the planes in proper relation to each other.

The explosive container comprises an' outer casing or shell 3% and an inner casing disposed in concentric spaced relation thereto. The inner casing forms a container or receptacle for an ex losive charge designated by 36, the explosive used being preferably of great power orwhat 1S commonly termed a high explosive. The space between the inner shell and the outer shell con stitutes a chamber which receives a plurality of projectiles such as shrapnel shot indicated by The casings and 35 are provided with alined openings which receive a time fuse 38 tightly secured therein and projecting into the inner casing, this-fuse serving to ignite the explosive charge 36. In practice, the length of this fuse will depend upon the distance which the torpedo is to travel before being exploded, as will be readily understood. 1 7

To reduce weight to a minimum, the engine or motor 12 and associated parts are, 7

preferably, constructed of aluminum or other suitable relatively light material, though it will be understood that an material may be employed. As will be not-edthe various operating and steering mechanisms 1 are disposed in alinement of the body and it is desired to have it travel. The torpedo is maintained on a level or even keel by means of the gyroscope 20, and it may be readily steered through the air through the medium of the controlling apparatus designated generally by a associated with the rudders 2 and 3. In this manner, the torpedo containing the'relatively large charge of high explosive may be brought into the desired position, after which it exploded by means of the time fuse 88. lVhen the torpedo is exploded, the shrapnel 37 will be projected outwardly therefrom in all directions thus doing great execution in the enemy ranks if the torpedo is'used for attacking troops. Also, the force of the explosion itself will serve to do great damage to fortifications andearth works adjacent which the torpedo is brought before being exploded.

It will be evident that there may be slight changes made in the construction and arrangement of the details of my invention without departing from the field and scope of the same, and I intend to include all such variations, as fall within the scope of the appended claim, in this application in which a preferred form only of my invention is disclosed.

What I claim is: V

In anaerial torpedo, a rearwardly tapered body provided in its forward end portion with an elongated container for an explosive charge, means for exploding said charge at .a predetermined time, a propeller shaft projecting forwardly of said body through the container, a propeller secured thereon, a.

compressed air tank in the rear portion of the body, a gyroscope in the body in front of the tank, and a motor in the body between the gyroscope and container and having connection with the gyroscope and propeller shaft for imparting movement to the same.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

V CLAYTON LlflfltlOY liLl Si).

lVitnesses v J. A. DANFORTI-I, JoHa NA MADSEN. 

